The podcast discusses Xerxes, an Oriental prince born to rule without tolerance for opposition or setbacks. Historians like A.R. Byrne have pointed out that there are some good qualities to Xerxes that are often overlooked in traditional narratives.
The storyteller who has helped colorize the story till now has departed, leading to a lack of color in the history of the ancient past.
Atticus Concord comes across an unusual man named Mr. Weep, who appears as an opalescent ivory statue with bald featureless head. Despite his unusual appearance, Atticus Concord remains composed as he discovers the man is a professional criminal.
The King of Lydia, Croesus, acts as an advisor to Cyrus as the Persians build boats to cross a river and engage the Central Asian horse nomads; an army from the nomads' queen suggests they withdraw instead of fighting.
This podcast provides insight into the military tactics of ancient armies, ranging from trickery with food to tactical dismissals and deceptive fortified cities, and how they were able to be so successful in battle.
The female characters in Greek and Shakespearean plays are portrayed as ruthless and malevolent, and this is also true for Shiv in the television show Succession. Being a centrist in a room where people are attracted to authoritarianism can feel like having the idealism stripped from the trunk of your tree.